G.N. Mohan forwards a survey of the social profile of key decision makers in the “national” media conducted by the Centre for Study of Developing Studies. Its key findings are that the India’s “national” media lacks social diversity and does not reflect the country’s social profile.

Hindu upper caste men dominate the media. They are about 8 per cent of India’s population but among the key decision makers of the national media their share is as high as 71%. Only 17 % of the key decision makers are women. Their representation is better in the English electronic media (32%).

The media’s caste profile is equally unrepresentative. ‘Twice born’ Hindus are about 16% of India’s population, but they are about 86% among the key media decision-makers. Brahmins alone constitute 49% of the key media
personnel. Dalits and adivasis are conspicuous by their absence among the decision makers. Not even one of the 315 key decision makers belonged to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes.

The OBCs comprise only 4 % compared to their population of around 40% in the country. Muslims are only 3% among the key decision makers, compared to 13.4% in the country’s population. Christians are proportionately represented in the media (mainly in the English media): their share is about 4% compared to their population share of 2.3%.

These findings are based on a survey of the social background of 315 key decision makers from 37 “national” media organizations (up to 10 key decision makers from each organisation) based in Delhi. The survey was carried out by volunteers of Media Study Group between 30 May and 3 June 2006.

Questions: Is it time for reservations in the media to restore the balance of coverage? Or should the media voluntarily seek to introduce diversity in the newsroom? Would better diversity have resulted in better coverage of, say, the reservation issue? Or are these issues only limited to the North of the country?

16 comments

The US media and financial services industry is dominated by Jews. Yet, there isn’t much talk of diversity in the decision making positions in those organizations.

To talk of reservation in the media is to admit to the fact that the media is biased, and that only reservation will “balance” it. The fact is, if media is unbiased, there isn’t a need for reservation. If it is, unrepresented constituencies will develop their own media. It was true in times of Czarist Russia, British India and Mao’s China. No reason why that shouldn’t happen now.

If the government is so interested in helping OBCs and dalits then this what they should do. Sack Mr Singh from the PMs post ( i wonder what he is doing there any way) and post a dalit as a PM ( proably Mayawati or someone like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Will the UPA do this???

ML is right. I do not think there are any restrictions preventing people from joining certain disciplines. While talking of reservations for certain professions, one also has to keep in mind whether that profession is largely urban or rural based and also look at the number of people applying for those from different sections of society. It could well be that certain sections of the society do not feel encouraged enough to apply for or study in certain disciplines that might get them access to these professions. If so that needs to be corrected by providing them the means for that.

Why should there be any reservations in the media for any group whether it is Dalit or OBC’s,when the doors are wide open for anybody to enter.

Neither the media is biased nor it is ‘Jahagiri’ of any castes. We have to come to an era free from ‘Reservation for Castes ‘. if one were to view reservation in each profession on castes basis,then there will be no end to it.

if anything, there should be reservations for kannadigas in the media… after TOI had/having a field day defaming and slandering b’lore in the name of ‘bringing issues(infra infra infra infra..) into the open’, it seems to be the IE’s turn now…

going through their current series on hyd vs b’lore is nauseating. all their articles are just one thing… b’lore is ahead of hyd, hyd is lagging way behind etc at the start of the article… and by the time it reaches the end of the article, it has turned on its head, and is “…however.. the infra in b’lore is collapsing/collapsed…. at this rate hyd will play catch up in 3 weeks… blah blah blah….” and who better than Mr. Sanjay ‘dont pay my electric bills’ Khan to tell us that!

i’ll shave my head if someone can prove these arent advertorials planted by other city/state govts… wonder how much gowda has to pay these guys for them to sing peans for him…

now with VK becoming ‘maNNu’ paalu and more horrors like DH, PV etc becoming HT paalu on the way, and we not having any radio, TV channels of our own, we are well and truly the ‘hiMduLida’ janaaMga/varga/paMgaDa of the media. it is only fair that we get some reservation…

Sisya, will the same logic doesn’t apply to other reservation systems?
You want reservation for kannada in media, similarly people will advocate for reservation system in other fields.
Media went ga-ga over reservation quota system and later found out that more than 56% (AC Nielsen poll) of indian population felt the need of reservation.
I am not saying reservation will help, but in our democratic setup, things will happen whether it is right or not but if it has favor of majority.

On bangalore, its infrastructure, and other problems: we have so called visionaries asking it to be made under the control of central. they also claim for all metros to be with central and they dont think of the impact of urban-rural divide.

Anyways, things which happen because of large debate will do good. let us hope reservation will not cripple us. at the behest of casteism, regionalism we might have lost few wars, but lets win the battle.

I remember some chinese industry minister speaking that: we are not bothered about human rights. we want to make sure good food and life is available to our fella citizen. I am happy if India doesnt get into such levels.

While reserving my comments about reservation in the media to a later date, I would like to post this interesting piece.
Wipro chairman Mr. Azim Premji’s comment on reservation:

I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let’s start the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that. Cricket rules should be modified accordingly. The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by a OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.
We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player. Any delivery above this speed should be made illegal.
Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters.
There can be reservation in Government jobs also. Let’s recruit SC/ST and OBC pilots for aircrafts which are carrying the ministers and politicians(that can really help the country.. )
Ensure that only SC/ST and OBC doctors do the operations for the ministers and other politicians. (Another way of saving the country..)
Let’s be creative and think of ways and means to guide INDIA forward…
Let’s show the world that INDIA is a GREAT country. Let’s be proud of being an INDIAN..
May the good breed of politicans like ARJUN SINGH long live…